A wiper system for wiping a windshield of a motor vehicle is desired to be able to wipe as large a surface area of the windshield as possible. However, conventional wiper systems relied on angular motions of wiper arms, and it has not been possible to wipe all the corners of the windshield. Wiper systems with translational motion such as the one disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,340 include a wiper arm which moves laterally across the windshield as a translational motion. Therefore, the wiper blade carried by the wiper arm can cover the substantially entire surface of the substantially rectangular windshield. However, when the wiper system is not operating or when the wiper arm stays stationary for a period of time in an intermittent mode, the wiper arm and the wiper blade inevitably occupies a position near one of the side edges of the windshield in such a manner that the view of the vehicle operator is blocked to a certain extent. Therefore, such wiper systems may be applicable to rear windows of motor vehicles as was the case with the invention disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,340, but may not be acceptable for use on front windshields of motor vehicles.
It may be conceivable to provide a stowing capability to the wiper system to put the wiper arm and the wiper blade out of the view of the vehicle operator when the wiper system is not in use. However, it will require a series of steps which require so much time that the capability of the wiper system to meet the need to quickly respond to the need to wipe the windshield may be impaired. Also, the wiper system with translational motion should be capable of various modes of operation including an intermittent mode and a mist mode for the wiper system to be acceptable for general use.